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Bahon
Bahon (Kreyòl: Bawon) is a commune in Northern Haiti. It is located on Haiti's Great North River. The town shares a borough with a city of the same name, Grande-Rivière-du-Nord, a place well known for its fast-flowing waterway; consequently, Bahon's history, economy, and culture are closely aligned with those of its larger neighbor. The population of Bahon was 17,447 at the time of the 2003 census and estimated at 23,251 in mid-2015. , and on Hispaniola]] History Bahon was first settled in 1910 as "Raque-à-Zinga", in the southernmost part of the department of the North. It was founded on a popular river and was served by a railroad that linked it to the City of Cap-Haïtien. That railroad ceased operations in 1915; in 1932, the settlement achieved commune status. Origin of the name Bahon is an 19th century settlement off of Route Nationale 3. The origin of the name is not known, but sources trace the name back to France and Spain, particularly in the former's Brittany Region. Geography Bahon's border runs along the commune of Grande-Rivière in the north, east along Sainte-Suzanne, and west between the towns of Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement. Bahon relies on the city of Grande-Rivière-du-Nord for local commerce and trade. Grand-Rivière and Bahon are also identified by their respective postal zip codes (Grand Rivière's is 1310, Bahon's is 1320). Bahon is understood as being in the southwest corner of Grand Rivière's Valley, where it meets Pignon and the rest of Route Nationale 3 in the hinterlands of Hinche. Bahon is generally seen as one of the most isolated towns in Haiti. It's mountainous location guarantees challenging access. It is connected to the Pignon area of by a tiny strip of land containing Bahon's main road, along with mountains on all the other sides, so it retains a very distinct regional identity altogether. Bahon, along with it's neighbor Ranquitte, is often perceived as being separate from the rest of the country since landscapes and road conditions pose a dilemma, but they are in fact part of the Republic of Haiti. Bahon is divided by the Grande Rivière du Nord(Great North River) into the main western area and a smaller eastern section known as Bois Pin (Pinewood). The commune of Bahon has two other Communal Sections, Bailly and Montagne Noire (Black Mountain). It is an interior commune. The relief of the town center is dominated by plains and that of the communal sections is hilly. Tropical climate is experienced by the region. Temperatures in Bahon vary between 24°C and 30°C (75° to 85° F). All through the year, it is pretty warm in Bahon. The inhabitants of the commune of Bahon are called Bahonnais. To the west is located Gonaïves, at a distance of 100 km 62 miles. Shores of the vast Atlantic Ocean are located to the north of Bahon at a distance of about 30 km 20 miles. Demography Administrative divisions Economy Bahon is a place in Northern Haiti where agricultural production and livestock are the only income-generating activities for the inhabitants. And to sell these products, travel is often required to the market in Grande-Rivière or Cap-Haïtien. The traders will often supply themselves in these cities and even as far as Port-au-Prince. Apart from nine grocery stores inventoried in Bahon, the commune has no other commercial establishments. Infrastructure Transportation Bahon has no airport. The closest airport to rely upon is Cap-Haïtien International Airport. Road transport is available via Route Nationale 3 at the southern tip of the town, just past the border in Pignon. No numbered routes or higways run through the town. The rail road that links to Cap-Haitien from Bahon is still in place, however this is not yet operational. Gonaïves and Cap-Haïtien are the two closest ports to Bahon. The roads that lead from the city to the communal sections, as well as those that connect the communal sections to each other, consist of paths and dirt roads, as noted by red (paths) or brown (trails) dotted lines on the map. A traveler describes the commute into Bahon: "Currently, to go to Bahon or Ranquitte, there is only one way, the motorcycle. First you have to take the first ride to get to Grande-Rivière. Then, cross on foot where the road is cut, to go take another motorcycle on the other side to continue the road. If the person is accompanied by his own motorcycle, it is always possible to cross, but you have to pay. At the edge of the river there are about fifty young boys playing the role of smugglers. For a smuggler to cross a motorcycle, you have to give him 100 Gourdes on the way and 100 Gourdes on the way back. If no, you have to leave the motorcycle to get a cab on the other side. A real business." Education The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports is not represented in the Commune. Twenty five mostly private primary schools, literacy centers and one high school, Lycee Nationale Gregoire Eugene, have been listed in the town's directory. Schools in the town of Bahon •Ecole AEM de Baille •Ecole St Joseph •Ecole Conservatrice •Foyer Evangelique Baptiste •College Adventiste de Bahon •Agneau de Dieu •Ecole Conservatrice de Bailly •Ecole La Foi Apostolique •Ecole National de Bailly •Ecole Notre Dame de Bailly •Ecole National Montagne Noire Health The Ministry of Public Health and Population is not represented in the Municipality of Bahon. There is a health center without a bed and a private clinic. A nurse and three auxiliaries at the Saint Joseph Medical Center provide the health service in the municipality. In addition, the commune is served by mobile clinics. A healthcare professional describes the mobile clinics as "truly the best way to promote population health; an opportunity to interact with the most remote populations as they carry out their activities of daily living. An opportunity to see the environment they live in and assess potential health needs". Utilities For the water supply, the town has one river, five springs and nine artesian wells for domestic use. The town is not electrified for the moment. Security At the level of administrative and judicial infrastructures, the municipality of Bahon has no police representation. She has a Peace Court and a Civil Status Office. Culture Religion Many Catholics inhabit this place. Spiritual needs of the Catholic residents are served by the St. Joseph Parish. The Catholic Church's volunteers are run the medical clinics thus contributing to healthcare and educational needs of the people residing in Bahon. Communication There is no telephone and the postal service exists with a limited number of employees. Leisure As for Leisure, the municipality of Bahon has no library, museum, theater or cinema. The gaguères are fourteen. The sports practiced in the commune are: football (soccer) and volleyball. Heritage With regard to cultural heritages, two historical sites (two forts) have been inventoried in Bahon. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the commune, celebrated every 19th of March. , Haiti]] in Bahon]] References Ranquitte et Bahon: radiotelevisioncaraibes.com/mobile/nouvelles/haiti/8114.html A visit to Bahon, med and food for kids mfkhaiti.org/our-blog/a-visit-to-bahon/ =Food= Besides these a few Salvation Army die hards and Baptist followers also reside in the region. A dish made from cashew nuts and chicken in the region called 'poul ak nwa' is a delicacy here which has its origins from the north of the country. bh5.jpg|Bahon bh6.jpg Bahon 725.jpg|Eglise Sainte-Rose de Lima; Bahon, Haiti Neighborhoods Michael Vedrine Category:Grande-Rivière-du-Nord Arrondissement Category:Nord, Haiti Category:Five Category:Communes with 5 neighbors Category:Livestock production Category:Peanut production Category:Cassava production Category:Pea production Category:Corn production Category:Cereal production Category:Potato production